Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

So I am on basenotes since 2-3 years, probably reading since 3 years and a half and writing since 2 years and a half or something.

Basenotes introduced me first to designers fragrances then to niche. I love this board and have learned a lot thanks to various very interesting contributors, who knew A LOT about fragrances.

For various reasons I had not been active nor even reading the board the last 9-10 month and have got back to it only very recently (I'm an addict and hence my frenetic fragrances purchases could not be put aside longer than that ). I am under the impression that the board, id est the posters and topics have really changed, going way more "mainstream" and with less diversity in general than before, say a year ago.

First and foremost this is not at all a criticism whatsoever, but a simple statement from what i ve been reading the last 2 weeks since I got back on BN. Most of the very interesting posters and guys who know so much about fragrances in general and are real sources of inspiration as well as an educating and useful source do not seem to post anymore, or rarely, and 95 topics out of 100 regard mainstream fragrances. I own around 60 fragrances, and allthough around 40 of them are niche I own and love two dozen of designer fragrances such as Declaration, Rive Gauche or l'Instant so as I said I nothing against designer fragrances nor topics about them. But the board seems nevertheless less diversified, maybe going less in depth as well. There were always new threads about some great but new or almost unknown niche fragrances that were always great suggestions of new frags to try, and I seem to miss this part at the moment.

The number of fragrances talked about in recent threads seems to have greatly decreased from a year ago. Again, I m not trying to criticise anything here, and maybe my "sample of reading" which includes only the last 10 days is too narrow a perspective but I wanted to know what you think about it and if it is indeed a general trend. I think there are so many amazing fragrances that more ppl should know about, being said that BN was precisely the place achieving this purpose, and it would be sad to miss this part imo.

For instance I remember I started a thread about rose fragrances and like 25 fragrances, mostly great ones imo for that matter were suggested in the thread whereas today in what I read it's really always the same, very well known fragrances that come back again and again. And there were so many other examples, remember also a thread about parfumerie générale that was really going into (very interesting) details and explanations about the fragrances. Maybe these niche were kind of new at that time and that s why there was so much going about them while people now are back to more traditional fragrances, I don't know, but I do see a difference, even in the (fewer) designers frags mentioned. Am I the only one under this impression, and should I be worried ?

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

I have to concur. Things are very different now. Can't quite place what that difference is, but it is there. Still love to visit BN to learn and follow what is going on, but there is a difference. Haven't joined BN plus so maybe that would help, but I don't know.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

I've been here a little over two years, can't say I've noticed much of a change. Mainstream frags dominated the board then as much as they do now, imo. But there's still plenty of niche discussion. It could be that the exposure on Youtube (fragrance reviewers) has brought more newcomers on board, which I view as a good thing because it'll be that many more people exposed to the variety of fragrances available, niche or otherwise.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

So I am on basenotes since 2-3 years, probably reading since 3 years and a half and writing since 2 years and a half or something.

Basenotes introduced me first to designers fragrances then to niche. I love this board and have learned a lot thanks to various very interesting contributors, who knew A LOT about fragrances.

For various reasons I had not been active nor even reading the board the last 9-10 month and have got back to it only very recently (I'm an addict and hence my frenetic fragrances purchases could not be put aside longer than that ). I am under the impression that the board, id est the posters and topics have really changed, going way more "mainstream" and with less diversity in general than before, say a year ago.

First and foremost this is not at all a criticism whatsoever, but a simple statement from what i ve been reading the last 2 weeks since I got back on BN. Most of the very interesting posters and guys who know so much about fragrances in general and are real sources of inspiration as well as an educating and useful source do not seem to post anymore, or rarely, and 95 topics out of 100 regard mainstream fragrances. I own around 60 fragrances, and allthough around 40 of them are niche I own and love two dozen of designer fragrances such as Declaration, Rive Gauche or l'Instant so as I said I nothing against designer fragrances nor topics about them. But the board seems nevertheless less diversified, maybe going less in depth as well. There were always new threads about some great but new or almost unknown niche fragrances that were always great suggestions of new frags to try, and I seem to miss this part at the moment.

The number of fragrances talked about in recent threads seems to have greatly decreased from a year ago. Again, I m not trying to criticise anything here, and maybe my "sample of reading" which includes only the last 10 days is too narrow a perspective but I wanted to know what you think about it and if it is indeed a general trend. I think there are so many amazing fragrances that more ppl should know about, being said that BN was precisely the place achieving this purpose, and it would be sad to miss this part imo.

For instance I remember I started a thread about rose fragrances and like 25 fragrances, mostly great ones imo for that matter were suggested in the thread whereas today in what I read it's really always the same, very well known fragrances that come back again and again. And there were so many other examples, remember also a thread about parfumerie générale that was really going into (very interesting) details and explanations about the fragrances. Maybe these niche were kind of new at that time and that s why there was so much going about them while people now are back to more traditional fragrances, I don't know, but I do see a difference, even in the (fewer) designers frags mentioned. Am I the only one under this impression, and should I be worried ?

I've only been here for a few months, and it seems to have changed a bit even since then. Not so much a transition from niche to designer frags, but there seems to have been in influx of young guys wanting to know about what frags will "drop the panties" for them, and less interest in the fragrances themselves. And suddenly a bunch of threads about "what's best" and "what's worst," as if we're in some sort of competition.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Originally Posted by A. Homme

I've only been here for a few months, and it seems to have changed a bit even since then. Not so much a transition from niche to designer frags, but there seems to have been in influx of young guys wanting to know about what frags will "drop the panties" for them, and less interest in the fragrances themselves. And suddenly a bunch of threads about "what's best" and "what's worst," as if we're in some sort of competition.

But maybe it's just me.

You are not alone and, IMO the above summarises the main changes in tone of BaseNotes, along with threads about what some personality would wear. These do not add much value to the main topic of fragrances.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Well, "trends" come and ago. About 5 months ago, half of the threads here were about Amouage.

Having said that, there seems to be an increasing number of people asking the same questions here lately. "Pantry droppers" "pure malt is awesome" "your favorite perfumes" "how long before my bottles expire".

I don't know, I have been less excited here in the past few months, but as I said, trends come and go.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Kind of off topic, but I wish they would separate the men's forum into 2 sections. Designer and Niche. I do like niche, but designer is more my bag, I can't really afford niche, but I'm always down to sample and hear about them. It seems like 75% of the men's forum are threads revolving around niche fragrances.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Well, how do we decide what goes where...? Comme des Garçons is clearly a designer brand, but is considered to be on the niche side by many. Creed is an old tailoring company that started dabbling in fragrances a few decades ago, but many consider them to be niche. Hermès, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels are designers with "exclusive" lines which sort of puts them on both sides of the fence. And so on.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Hmmm. I've only been here a year. Things seem *pretty much* the same as last fall. But then I'm in and out. The only real difference I've noticed has been remarked on above: an influx of young whipper-snappers asking the same questions again and again (instead of searching for threads). But isn't the forum for fragrance discussion of all sorts, however deep - or shallow? Bait a hook and throw a few niche discussion threads out there. Maybe the old fish will bite...

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Obi-Wan: Well, R2 has been...
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Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Welcome back Roc_Xel. It would be great to have you start some new threads, showing us what the threads used to be like.

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Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Originally Posted by tott

Well, how do we decide what goes where...? Comme des Garçons is clearly a designer brand, but is considered to be on the niche side by many. Creed is an old tailoring company that started dabbling in fragrances a few decades ago, but many consider them to be niche. Hermès, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels are designers with "exclusive" lines which sort of puts them on both sides of the fence. And so on.

My opinion of niche may be far different from the rest. Niche doesn't really reflect prices, as that category belongs to "luxe" frags. Niche is just anything that isn't by a mainstream designer, which makes for a lot of inexpensive niche frags such as Samba, Cuba, etc. There's niche, designer, celebrity, and maybe a drugstore or "cheapy" category (Stetson, Coty, Avon, etc). At least imo. If I'm using the word niche correct by its definition, then I'm right. I'm not going by the fragrance community's standard of the word niche.

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Many of the knowlegeable folks that used to post frequently, and from whom I learned so much, have started their own blogs, resulting in a brain drain of sorts. I'm definitely not ciriticizing their decision to run their own show, just commenting on a possible reason why the board has changed. Also, for whatever reason, I've noticed that the number of folks (members and guests) logged on to Basenotes has significantly increased over the last year or so; I routinely see over 200 currently active members logged on at peak hours (it's over 600 as I write this!). Grant has to be pleased at that!

Everyone is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts. Daniel Moynihan

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Well the post has been moved :X

Anyway I agree with pretty much everything that has been said above, I m glad I m not the only one.
As for your post Snafoo I ve been amazed by that as well. Not only the number of connected members but also the number of posts. The threads are replied way quickier and more often than before. Interesting.

You also mentioned something interesting about blogs. Care to share some of their new "home" , i.e. blog adresses ??

Re: Has this (amazing) board changed over the last 12 month ?

Niche is as popular as ever, but one has to pick and choose the threads one reads. For example, this thread was a rather fun run-down of opinions on Lutens that is a little more in-depth than usual.

People come and people go; the "mood" of Basenotes changes constantly.

+1 to that. Once "you N00Bs" (not pointing at anyone in particular but new members in general... I can't seriously talk about newbies as I've not yet been here a year) get the feel of the search function and settle in, and realize that there is a great deal of depth to Basenotes, it's fine. That "ignore" feature is there for a reason, too. Sometimes I wish there was a little less "fratboy" posting style going on, but... that said... Suga is dead on with the constant change comment. (just like in "real life" the first constant is change. The second constant is "the more things change the more things stay the same." )